My kind of vacation

Who needs the hassle of an airport, the crowds of the rails, time-consuming bus rides or the cost of driving a vehicle? This year, rather than taking a vacation, I took a 'staycation.'

PEGGIE HUNTER

Who needs the hassle of an airport, the crowds of the rails, time-consuming bus rides or the cost of driving a vehicle? This year, rather than taking a vacation, I took a 'staycation.'

It was an entire week of unwinding and living the good life, not caring what the time was. I did everything else that one does on vacation right from the comfort of my own home.

I'm not sure about the rest of you travelers, but before every vacation I'm always frantically tying up loose ends, like paying bills, cleaning the house and packing — or should I say stuffing the suitcase. With a staycation, there's none of that pre-vacation stress and hassle.

Then, of course, there's always that day or two of travel time that is necessary to get to your vacation destination. Leaving for the airport at some ungodly hour just to hang around a stuffy airport while waiting for the plane to board, thinking the entire time that the plane is going to crash. The actual travel part of a vacation used to be fun and a key part of the vacation experience. Today, traveling has become a wearisome task.

With a staycation, the travel aspect is moot. Rather than beginning your time off feeling frazzled, you are rested and rearing to go.

Things to have available at home for your staycation include a good book (a loaner from a friend or a library book works just fine), sun screen, some good music, tiki torches with plenty of matches, and the best listing of activities, the Times' Cape Week section.

Vacations are custom made for sleeping in, so the first day of my staycation I stayed in bed until 9 a.m. Unlike what occurs at over air-conditioned hotels, nobody knocked on my door asking to come in to straighten out the room. Well, maybe that is one downside of the staycation...having to make your own bed, but what a comfortable bed it is!

After I arose, it was time for some breakfast. When I go on vacation, all bets are off when it comes to eating healthy and choosing low caloric foods so why should a staycation be any different? I decided to whip up some bacon and eggs. I always seem to order bacon on vacation, so I treated myself to four pieces. Is there any more glorious food than bacon?

Another thing, when I take a vacation it seems that while I'm eating breakfast, I'm trying to figure out where I'll go and what I'll have for lunch. It's no different on a staycation. After reading the loaner book for a few hours, I hopped in the car and headed for a nearby seafood place for lunch. Now I came full circle; I did what all vacationers do.

Day 2, armed with my loaner book, some sun screen and a bottle of water, I went to the beach. Now, this was an undertaking because even though I've lived on the Cape for the last 11 years, I had yet to put on a bathing suit and go for a swim. The bathing suit is of the 1920s vintage, but much to my delight everything does come back in style, and I fit in perfectly with the rest of the beach goers.

Day 3, I did a little sightseeing — the Chatham Fish Pier, Sesuit Harbor in Dennis, a book signing at the Sandwich Public Library and maybe a concert at the Dennisport Village Green. The destinations I chose didn't cost me a dime.

Day 4 was reserved for some shopping. I bought a floppy hat to go with my roaring-20s bathing suit, some T-shirts for the nieces and nephews and a big scallop shell as a reminder of my wonderful staycation.

The rest of the week was a blur of more reading, buying a coffee ice cream cone, eating some fresh seafood, going to a play and dancing. A staycation isn't a vacation unless there's dancing involved.

The week ended way too soon. When Monday morning rolled around, I had to throw some cold water on my face and get on with the realities of life. Please be advised though, staycations can be addicting.